Saturday, March 23, 2013

Experience the Culture and Traditional that is the Salzburg Festival 2013






Every summer, the scenic Austrian city of Salzburg plays host to the world-renowned Salzburg Festival. This exciting showcase of the country’s most talented artists, as well as worldwide celebrated operatic and dramatic performances, can be enjoyed in the city’s Great Festival Hall, which has been its setting since the 1920’s.

Historically, the Salzburg Festival has been in existence since 1877, when it was organised by the International Mozart Foundation, named after Salzburg’s most famous son, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  After a brief respite for the First World War, the festival then continued in 1920, when Reinhardt famously performed Hofmannsthal’s Jederman, on Salzburg’s Cathedral’s steps.

Since then, the festival has included a number of iconic performances, to include one by the Von Trapp Family Singers, whose life was famously dramatized in The Sound of Music. Salzburg is extremely proud of being the setting for this classic film, which seems to be celebrated at every turn when exploring the city!

Today the festival is as popular as ever, drawing crowds of thousands from throughout Austria, Western Europe and the world to this comparatively small mountainside city. The programme for 2013 includes concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic, a Mozart Matinee by Ivor Bolton and a dramatic performance of Snow White.

The 2013 Festival commences on the 19th July, running for five weeks until its Grand Finale on the 1st September. As well as being treated to productions by some of the world’s best conductors, musicians, actors and singers, those fortunate enough to have tickets will also be dazzled by stunning pyrotechnic displays and a backdrop of dramatic illuminations. 

I would highly recommend the purchase of a glossy, comprehensive programme to illustrate the festival’s broad spectrum of performances and to act as a worthwhile souvenir of this magnificent event. This, along with tickets and information of all artists can be purchased from the festival’s official website http://www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/summer

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